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Lake Merritt History

In 1867, Dr. Samuel Merritt donated 155 acres of dammed tidal water from the headwaters of Indian Slough, it became known as "Merritt's Lake" and later Lake Merritt. In 1925, Lake Merritt's "Necklace of Lights" is lit for the first time during the Dons of Peralta Water Festival. There are 126 lampposts, each given by an organization or an individual. The lampposts and 3,400 pearly bulbs shine until 1941 when World War II blackout conditions are enforced.

Sometimes called the Jewel of Oakland, Oakland is the only city in the United States with a salt water lake in the downtown metropolitan area. Originally part of the San Francisco bay, in 1869, Oakland Mayor Dr. Samual Merritt donated money to build a dam at the 12th Street bridge, across the "neck" of the inlet, thus creating the present day lake. It was called "Merritt's Lake", and gradually over time became Lake Merritt.

In 1963, the Wildlife Refuge at Lake Merritt was registered as a National Historic Landmark. The nation's oldest wildlife refuge, expanding 140 acres, with a shoreline of 3.4 miles around the lake. The brackish water, which consists of fresh water and salt water, of the lake is eight to ten feet deep, supporting and residing as a home to shrimp, fish, birds (migratory and residental), clams, and crabs.